Automatic adjustable showerhead

Abstract

A showerhead structure that includes a spherical member having an internal fluid passage that extends in a longitudinal direction, a pivot assembly, and a showerhead assembly. The pivot assembly includes a sleeve encircling a first portion of the spherical member with a first gap between at least a part of the sleeve and the first portion; a locating ring encircling a second portion of the spherical member with a second gap between at least a part of the locating ring and the second portion; and a gasket disposed between the sleeve and the locating ring in the longitudinal direction, wherein a portion of the gasket contacts the spherical member. The showerhead assembly is freely rotatable relative to and about the spherical member through the pivot assembly, so that the showerhead automatically adjusts to a horizontal position due to gravity.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A showerhead, comprising:
 a spherical member having an internal fluid passage that extends in a longitudinal direction; 
 a pivot assembly comprising:
 a sleeve encircling a first portion of the spherical member with a first gap between at least a part of the sleeve and the first portion; 
 a locating ring encircling a second portion of the spherical member with a second gap between at least a part of the locating ring and the second portion; and 
 a gasket disposed between the sleeve and the locating ring in the longitudinal direction, wherein an inner portion of the gasket contacts the spherical member and is retained between the spherical member and the locating ring in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the sleeve; and 
 
 a showerhead assembly freely rotatable relative to and about the spherical member through the pivot assembly, so that the showerhead automatically adjusts to a horizontal position due to gravity. 
 
     
     
       2. The showerhead of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is supported by an upper half of the spherical member, and the locating ring is supported by a lower half of the spherical member. 
     
     
       3. The showerhead of  claim 1 , further comprising a ball nut that surrounds the sleeve and the gasket. 
     
     
       4. The showerhead of  claim 3 , wherein an outer portion of the gasket is retained between the locating ring and the ball nut. 
     
     
       5. The showerhead of  claim 4 , wherein the outer and inner portions of the gasket form a “V” shape. 
     
     
       6. The showerhead of  claim 1 , wherein the gasket comprises:
 an outer portion disposed between the locating ring and a ball nut; 
 the inner portion extending inwardly from a first portion of the outer portion; and 
 a finger extending inwardly from a second portion of the outer portion, the finger engaging a groove in the locating ring. 
 
     
     
       7. A showerhead comprising:
 a spherical member having an internal fluid passage that extends in a longitudinal direction; 
 a pivot assembly comprising:
 a sleeve encircling a first portion of the spherical member with a first gap between at least a part of the sleeve and the first portion; 
 a locating ring encircling a second portion of the spherical member with a second gap between at least a part of the locating ring and the second portion; and 
 a gasket disposed between the sleeve and the locating ring in the longitudinal direction, wherein a portion of the gasket contacts the spherical member; and 
 
 a showerhead assembly freely rotatable relative to and about the spherical member through the pivot assembly, so that the showerhead automatically adjusts to a horizontal position due to gravity; 
 wherein the sleeve is supported by an upper half of the spherical member, and the locating ring is supported by a lower half of the spherical member; and 
 wherein a first portion of the sleeve contacts a first portion of the upper half of the spherical member, and a second portion of the sleeve extends around a second portion of the upper half and a first portion of the lower half of the spherical member with the first gap therebetween. 
 
     
     
       8. The showerhead of  claim 7 , wherein the first portion of the sleeve is an upper portion of the sleeve, and the second portion of the sleeve is a lower portion of the sleeve. 
     
     
       9. The showerhead of  claim 7 , further comprising a connection nut disposed between the showerhead assembly and the locating ring, wherein the connection nut is configured to locate the locating ring. 
     
     
       10. The showerhead of  claim 9 , wherein the connection nut includes a recess that receives a mating boss in the locating ring to locate the locating ring concentrically to the connection nut. 
     
     
       11. The showerhead of  claim 9 , further comprising a ball nut that surrounds the sleeve, the locating ring, and the gasket, wherein a portion of the gasket is retained between the locating ring and the ball nut. 
     
     
       12. The showerhead of  claim 11 , wherein the portion of the gasket is an outer portion, and the gasket includes an inner portion that is retained between the locating ring and the spherical member. 
     
     
       13. The showerhead of  claim 11 , further comprising a fixing nut having a threaded portion, which threads to the connection nut, and a head that retains the showerhead assembly, wherein the gasket seals against the spherical member in a tightened position of at least one of the connection nut and the fixing nut. 
     
     
       14. The showerhead of  claim 9 , further comprising a fixing nut having a threaded portion, which threads to the connection nut, and a head that retains the showerhead assembly. 
     
     
       15. The showerhead of  claim 14 , wherein the gasket seals against the spherical member in a tightened position of at least one of the connection nut and the fixing nut. 
     
     
       16. The showerhead of  claim 15 , wherein the threaded portion includes external threads that thread to internal threads of the connection nut, and the head has a larger radial size than the threaded portion. 
     
     
       17. The showerhead of  claim 15 , wherein the gasket comprises:
 an outer portion disposed between the locating ring and the ball nut; 
 an inner portion extending inwardly from a first portion of the outer portion, the inner portion being disposed between the locating ring and the spherical member; and 
 a finger extending inwardly from a second portion of the outer portion, the finger engaging a groove in the locating ring. 
 
     
     
       18. A showerhead comprising:
 a spherical member having an internal fluid passage that extends in a longitudinal direction; 
 a pivot assembly comprising:
 a sleeve encircling a first portion of the spherical member with a first gap between at least a part of the sleeve and the first portion; 
 a locating ring encircling a second portion of the spherical member with a second gap between at least a part of the locating ring and the second portion; and 
 a gasket disposed between the sleeve and the locating ring in the longitudinal direction, wherein a portion of the gasket contacts the spherical member; 
 
 a showerhead assembly freely rotatable relative to and about the spherical member through the pivot assembly, so that the showerhead automatically adjusts to a horizontal position due to gravity; 
 a ball nut that surrounds the sleeve and the gasket; and 
 a connection nut located between the locating ring, the ball nut, and the showerhead assembly, wherein the ball nut is connected to the connection nut to compress at least one of the sleeve, the gasket, and the locating ring. 
 
     
     
       19. The showerhead of  claim 18 , further comprising a fixing nut retained between a front plate and a back plate of the showerhead assembly, wherein the fixing nut threads to the connection nut to couple the fixing nut and showerhead assembly to the connection nut. 
     
     
       20. The showerhead of  claim 19 , further comprising an O-ring disposed between the connection nut and the ball nut, wherein the ball nut surrounds the connection nut.